Jane Austen Quote of the Day

With all my soul

"I wish with all my soul his wife may plague his heart out."

sweet, kind Mrs. Jennings
Sense & Sensibility, volume 2, chapter 8

Constantia wine

This is for Karen, who was wondering if this scene was in the book:

"I have just recollected that I have some of the finest old Constantia wine in the house that was ever tasted; so I have brought a glass of it for your sister.  My poor husband!  How fond he was of it!  Whenever he had a touch of old cholicky gout, he said it did him more good than anything else in the world.  Do take it to your sister."

"Dear ma'am," replied Elinor, smiling at the difference of the complaints for which it was recommended, "how good you are! But I have just left Marianne in bed, and, I hope, almost asleep; and as I think nothing will be of much service to her as rest, if you will give me leave, I will drink the wine myself." . . .

Elinor, as she swallowed the chief of it, reflected that, though its good effects on a cholicky gout were, at present, of little importance to her, its healing powers on a disappointed heart might be as reasonably tried on herself as on her sister.

Elinor and Mrs. Jennings, shortly after Marianne's disappointment with Willoughby
Sense & Sensibility, volume 2, chapter 8 (read it in context at Mollands)

Never loving by halves

" . . . that Marianne found her own happiness in forming [Col. Brandon's] was equally the persuasion and delight of each observing friend.  Marianne could never love by halves; and her whole heart became, in time, as much devoted to her husband as it had once been to Willoughby."

Sense & Sensibility, volume 3, chapter 14

An extraordinary fate

"Marianne Dashwood was born to an extraordinary fate.  She was born to discover the falsehood of her own opinions, and to counteract by her conduct her most favorite maxims.  She was born to overcome an affection formed so late in life as at seventeen, and with no sentiment superior to strong esteem and lively friendship, voluntarily to give her hand to another--and that other, a man who had suffered no less than herself under the event of a former attachment, whom, two years before, she had considered too old to be married, and who still sought the constitutional safeguard of a flannel waistcoat!"

Sense & Sensibility, volume 3, chapter 14

More on Marianne and Colonel Brandon in an article I wrote in response to Lori Gottlieb:  Would Jane Austen Settle?  (I think not, but I also think she would challenge our definition of love.)

Willoughby's fate

I didn't love the second half of Sense & Sensibility any more than the first (which I reviewed over at Following Austen).  If you watched it, and hadn't read the book (or haven't read it in a while), you may be surprised at what Austen says about Willoughby's fate:

"...he long thought of Colonel Brandon with envy and of Marianne with regret.  But that he was forever inconsolable, that he fled from society, or contracted an habitual gloom of temper, or died of a broken heart, must not be depended on; for he did neither.  He lived to exert, and frequently to enjoy himself.  His wife was not always out of humour, nor his home always uncomfortable; and in his breed of horses and dogs, and in sporting of every kind, he found no inconsiderable degree of domestic felicity."

Sense & Sensibility, volume 3, chapter 14

Know your own happiness

"'You are in a melancholy humour and fancy that anyone unlike yourself must be happy.  But remember that the pain of parting from friends will be felt by everybody at times, whatever be their education or state.  Know your own happiness. You want nothing but patience; or give it a more fascinating name:  call it hope.'"

Sense & Sensibility, volume 1, chapter 19
Mrs. Dashwood is speaking to Edward Ferrars, who is loathe to leave them after visiting Barton Cottage for a week (and generally distraught about having no occupation or skills)

Stubborn girl...

“’At my time of life opinions are tolerably fixed.  It is not likely that I should now see or hear anything to change them.’”

Marianne to Edward – oh the vanity and certainty of youth!
Sense & Sensibility, volume 1, chapter 17

Dear Mrs. Jennings

“It would be an excellent match, for he was rich, and she was handsome. . . . she was always anxious to get a good husband for every pretty girl.”

busybody Mrs. Jennings on why she thinks Marianne and Colonel Brandon should get together
Sense & Sensibility, volume 1, chapter 8

Age & infirmity

“'Colonel Brandon is certainly younger than Mrs. Jennings, but he is old enough to be my father; and if he were ever animated enough to be in love, must have long outlived every sensation of the kind.  It is too ridiculous!  When is a man to be safe from such wit if age and infirmity will not protect him?’”

Marianne again on Colonel Brandon’s advanced age of thirty-five, reflecting on his “advanced years and on his forlorn condition of an old bachelor”
Sense & Sensibility, volume 1, chapter 8

I think I could put up with Colonel Brandon's age and infirmity.

I didn't get to see S&S last night.  Between puppy-sitting this weekend, and a deadline this morning (which I missed - ack!), my weekend went by too fast.  Hoping to watch it tonight.  Did you love it -- hate it?  I did catch the very beginning today over lunch, and thought the opening scene would be a bit confusing if you didn't know the story and already know who that was.

A woman of a certain age

“'A woman of seven and twenty,’ said Marianne, after pausing a moment, 'can never hope to feel or inspire affection again.’”

Sense & Sensibility, volume 1, chapter 8

Thank goodness Jane did not believe this!